Ash pan
An ash pan is a tray often made of stainless steel. Its purpose is to capture burnt fuel in the form of ash from the stove as it falls through the grate. A stove burning solid fuel will require more regular ash removal than one burning well-seasoned wood.

Baffle
Baffles, also known as throat plates, prevent the hot gases produced by the fire from going straight up the flue / chimney. It is designed to force the air to take a longer path to the spigot so as to allow more heat to be transferred into the room.

Chimney liner
A stainless steel tube, which slides down a brick/stone chimney to provide a smooth and safe route for smoke.

Cowl
Sits on top of chimney pot and stops rain/birds getting into chimney.

Data plate
This is an information plate or sticker which is usually attached to the stove which gives details such as its manufacturer, output and any approvals/legislation criteria that it meets.

DEFRA
Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (UK). DEFRA approves stoves for use in Smoke Control Areas (heavily populated areas usually) as these stoves cannot be turned down so low as to slumber which causes black smoke.

Draught stabiliser
This is fitted to the flue and enables the stove operator to increase or restrict the passageway through the flue pipe to control the flue draw.

EcoDesign
“EcoDesign” is a European-wide programme for manufacturers to produce products that reduce or remove their impact upon the environment in terms of their usage and in their manufacuturing process.

Fire box
The inside of the stove where the fuel sits. The bigger this is the more fuel and therefore the more heat.

Fire bricks
The bricks inside the stove that help to retain the stove’s heat and increase its efficiency.

Flue
A flue is a manufactured chimney which has been designed to take the exhaust gases from the stove and vent them safely to the atmosphere. Normally flue pipes are double walled galvanised sheet metal. When the stove is lit, the updraft caused by a pre-heated flue helps to ensure an efficient burn is maintained.

Grate
A grate is made from cast iron and provides the ‘bed’ upon which the fuel and by extension the flames will burn above. Grates come in many shapes and sizes. Some are a single cast iron rectangular bed. Older grate designs do not allow fuel bed to be ‘riddled’ in order to eject unwanted ash into the ash pan.

Hearth
A hearth is a fireproof area directly in front of a fireplace or stove. It is made from non-combustible material which is designed to preserve floorings and carpets from any hot material which may fall from the stove during refueling or de-ashing.

Hot plate
This is cast iron plate that is used to seal the flueoutlet of the stove when it is not being used for the flue. For example, if you had a top- flued stove, the hotplate would be fitted to the rear outlet of the stove and a spigot to the top outlet.

KW
Kilowatts per hour. A measurement of heat emitted.

Multi-fuel
Can burn wood, smokeless fuel or coal.

Register plate
When a freestanding stove is installed into an open fireplace a register plate is fitted to seal the base of the chimney. These will usually incorporate both a hole for the flue to pass through and an access door which can be used to sweep the chimney.

Riddle
The grill in multi-fuel stoves that the fuel rests on.

Smoke control area
A smoke control area is a legally defined area where only approved solid fuels or DEFRA exempted appliances (eg wood burning stoves approved by DEFRA) can be used within buildings.

Smoke exempt
A stove that is “smoke exempt” can be used in a Smoke Control Area.

Solid fuel
A fuel such as coal that is solid rather than an oil or gas.

Spigot / Flue collar
Spigots are cast iron collars which are fitted to either the top or rear of the stove (depending on the model of the appliance and installation preferences) which are then connected to the flue pipe. For example if you had a top flued stove, the hotplate would be fitted to the rear outlet of the stove and a spigot to the top.

Twin wall
Twin wall flue is a clip-together chimney system. No adhesives or sealing potions at joints – slide one part into another and add a locking band.

Wood-burning stove
A wood-burning stove is only designed to burn wood.